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Laura Bond | Pam
Boutte | Andrea “A2” Dietz | Lizette Lobpries | Sicily Ann Mader
Mary May | Kaelin
McDonald | Elizabeth McKenna | Terri
Moehle | Melissa Painter
Kendra Palkowsky | Jordan
and Jamison Rutherford | Hope
Smith | Rachel Tolbert | Sarah Tolbert |
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has
been riding with Sandra for about 7 years. "Sandra really
puts her heart and soul into it when she is teaching. If you
don't get something, you can be assured she will stick with you
until you do get it." In 2002, Laura sold her lovely thoroughbred
mare Dutchess, after taking High Point honors with her at First
Level. She decided to ‘move up a notch’ and purchased
a fabulous 4-year-old bay Oldenburg gelding, Lancelot, out of
Lyndon Rife's old stallion, Lehnsritter. Their first year together
they competed successfully with scores in the high 60's. Last
year Laura and her husband Zak moved to a new home near Magnolia,
and have Lance and their Hanoverian gelding, Gabe, in their own
back yard!
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has
been riding since she was 6 years old and now owns two wonderful
horses.
Fleet is a 32 years ‘young’ thoroughbred Pam evented
in high school, who is spending her retirement at WFR. Katy is
a 16-year-old thoroughbred mare Pam has owned for 10 years who
is currently schooling Third Level. Pam's showing has been on hold
since the arrival of her two daughters, and her but she loves mommy-hood
and her 4-year-old Madelyn is already showing strong signs of loving
horses too (Dad's in trouble!). “WFR and Sandra have been
such a blessing to me! Sandra is an eloquent and compassionate
trainer and friend. The family atmosphere plus the love and care
that the horses and riders receive is unparalleled. WFR is the
only place I have experienced where being out of town does not
elicit worry about what might happen to my four-legged ‘babies’.” |
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is
a busy graduate student receiving her Master of Architecture degree
from Rice University. She began half-leasing Stryker about a year
ago because, busy or not, she found she could not live without
at least an occasional equine fix. Sandra has granted the perfect
outlet for this need, providing a balance of challenge and understanding
while she juggles both school demands and the desire to become
a better rider. “I cannot express enough thanks for the home
and opportunity that I have found at Willow Fork Ranch.” Hailing
from Virginia, she grew up around horses, riding mostly hunters.
Introduced to dressage while an undergraduate student at the University
of Virginia, A2 cannot wait to finish up her school obligations
so she can dedicate more time to her riding goals and passions. |
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grew
up with two Paints in her backyard, and spent the majority of
her childhood riding bareback
through fields, trails, and pastures with her friends. College,
marriage, and children temporarily stopped all that, but a love
of horses was permanently imbedded. Lizette found Willow Fork Ranch
in April 2004 when she bid on a riding lesson that Sandra had donated
to the Katy High School Project Grad silent auction. Lizette was
high bidder, and without realizing it, Phase II of her life with
horses had begun. Despite her thinking she had no free time, the
challenge to take her horsemanship to a higher (much higher!) level,
the encouragement and warmth shown by Sandra and her adopted barn
family, and the serene country setting at Willow Fork Ranch proved
too hard to resist. “I look forward to improving my riding
at WFR for many years to come!” |
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started
riding with her nana when she was still in diapers. Three years
ago, at the ripe old age of 5, she indignantly told her “Nana,
you need to be teaching me more! Like you do when the other girls
trot, you know, one and two and one and two.” Since then
Sicily has progressed to riding Sandra’s show mare Charisma,
her declared favorite. Sicily puts her on the bit at the walk,
and on the lunge she gleefully rides every step of her huge trot!
(Oh, to ride with such balance and wild abandon!!) She loves to
come watch nana at the horse shows, and last fall finally decided
she was ready for her first show. That smile in the accompanying
picture says it all! The gold medal she won that day is her most
prized possession, but she still thinks its cool that she is big
enough to dump the buckets of feed all by herself! |
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has
been horse crazy since childhood and has competed in just about
every English riding discipline
during the past 25 years. She’s coming back from several
years off after she retired her eventing partner Mac, and had her
two children, Reagan and Kelsey. She couldn’t wait to get
back into riding again, and finally after months of searching,
Mary found and purchased her new eventing partner, Olivia, a striking
3-year-old bay Tobiano Paint. Mary first contacted Sandra about
a horse trailer, but she ended up discovering that WFR was just
what she was looking for in a boarding facility! Mary truly appreciates
the quality of instruction she and her young mare receive. "Sandra
is a terrific teacher! She is very precise with her instruction,
and although she is tough, she is kind. I gave her a video of when
I was competing with Mac, to give her an idea of where I was coming
from. Her response? A very diplomatic "You’re a terrific
jumper! And I can really help you with your dressage!" And
she has! |
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has
been interested in horses since a very young age. She took a
trail ride when she was 4, and
her parents thought they would never get her peeled off her horse!
Most of her Christmas gift list is comprised of horse charms, horse
toys, and horse books! Elizabeth recently found Willow Fork Ranch
and decided that Sandra Adair was the perfect person to teach her
dressage. She has a strong, independent personality with a burning
desire to learn. She has already begun to master the basics of
dressage and seems to be a natural at this equine sport. Elizabeth
loves every part of the ranch and the whole family enjoys watching
her lessons and being at the barn with its quiet, loving atmosphere. “Sandra
is such an experienced teacher and everyone learns so much from
her with every visit!” |
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has
been riding horses all her life and has been a part-time student
at WFR since it opened in 1992! Terri is a very talented rider
who enjoys many different disciplines. She is a lovely dressage
rider, a competent jumper and loves to trail ride. A technician
for Katy Veterinary Clinic, Terri is always learning anything she
can about horse health, breeding, imprinting, and general horse
care. She has recently fallen in love with a new horse at the barn
and has returned to her dressage training with renewed vigor! Terri
holds Sandra in high regard as an instructor, a horsewoman, and
a friend. |
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has
been a student at WFR since she was in 5th grade. She came not
knowing anything about dressage and having millions of
‘
hunter habits’. “Ms. Adair has been extremely patient
with me!” Melissa, now a sophomore in high school, began
leasing Katrina several years ago and her commitment to her riding
has begun to pay off. In 2003 she was the HDS First Level Junior
Champion with scores in the mid-60's and last year she was the
HDS Second Level Junior Champion with scores in the high 60’s!
As she advances to Third Level she is looking forward to the new
challenges facing her. “I owe all my success to Ms. Adair,
because she makes riding dressage both fun and challenging. She
started out as my instructor, but now she is my friend.” |
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has
been riding for nine years, and took lessons from Ms. Adair when
she was just 6 years old. She tried western and hunter / jumpers
before choosing to continue with dressage, deciding that it was
both challenging and fun. When she and her family moved to Austin,
they purchased Stryker, a handsome fourteen year old, 16.3 bay
quarter horse gelding. Kendra enjoyed teaching her mom, Betsy,
how to ride on him! When her family moved to Katy a year later,
they moved Stryker to WFR and Kendra renewed her dressage training
in earnest. She and Stryker have come a long way in the two years
that they have been a team. The pair is currently schooling First
and Second Level. Kendra feels that Ms. Adair has provided her
great insight on the fundamentals of dressage and has shown immense
patience in helping her achieve her goal of becoming an exceptional
dressage rider. |
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has
been in love with horses since she was 7 years old. She started
reading about and doing projects
on horses at home and school and occasionally had an opportunity
to ride someone’s horse. She’s dreamed of taking riding
lessons for several years. Her first exposure to Willow Fork Ranch
was late in 2004 when she came with her mother to watch a freestyle
clinic that was held over Thanksgiving weekend. The very next month
Hope had her first riding lesson with Ms. Adair on Traveler.
Mrs. Smith delights in telling everyone, “Hope looks so forward
to her weekly trips to Willow Fork Ranch. Ms. Adair is a wonderful
teacher and everyone at the ranch is so nice. Hope is now one very
happy girl!” |
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has
been around horses since before she could walk. In fact, Rachel’s entrance into the world
started at a barn just after her very pregnant mother had finished
exercising her mare. Since then she has always enjoyed being around
horses and is a certain source of treats for them. Rachel has decided
to pursue the art and discipline of good horsemanship. She loves
to ride with Ms. Adair, who shows great enthusiasm for young riders
and also inculcates in beginners an appreciation for being a correct
and thoughtful equestrian. When not riding, Rachel’s passions
include reading, creating art, and listening to all of the Classic
Rock greats that her parents have introduced her to. It has become
quite clear to Mr. Tolbert that horses will be in the Tolbert family
for generations to come! |
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has
been around horses for over twenty years, participating in many
disciplines including western pleasure riding, hunters and dressage.
Sarah is the mother of three wonderful children and has a very
supportive husband who gladly suffers all the toils and joys
of a life around horses. She now owns Beaumont, a 5-year old
bay gelding out of the USDF Horse of the Year Reserve Champion,
Bolivar. It was Sandra’s keen eye and expertise that helped
pair this great match after working with Sarah for only three
months. Beaumont is currently helping Sarah pursue her personal
dressage goals and, despite his size, is helping to introduce
her children to the love of horses as well. Although Sarah has
been with Sandra for only one year, she feels she has finally
found a permanent home to pursue the study of classical riding
principles. |
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